My Captain A Levi x Reader Story
by HoshinoLibra
Summary: As an injured soldier, you have been grounded for a few weeks. What could possibly await you passed the Captain's door? Levi x Reader
1. Introductions

It was a cool brisk February morning on the day you wake up in your dorm. You open your eyes and sit up in bed feeling exhausted from a painfully restless night's sleep. Your head feels foggy and you raise a hand to your face to find a bandage covering your right eye. Your bandaged left forearm twinges painfully as you left it. You recall this pain from only a few days ago. For you were out on a month long expedition with your Scouting Team. But as most missions do, they start out hopeful and your team even seemed to have gained the upper hand. But those sadistic killing machines have wiped out dozens upon dozens of your fellow soldiers. Every single time you've encounter them they've beaten your teams flat into the ground...or worse. You have survived dozens of missions before. This had become a standard routine for you. Going out into the frontlines, executing the orders you were given and watching your comrades and friends die in unimaginable horror. Luke, Hannah, Tia, Mouse. They gave the legion all they had.

"So what is the point in it? Getting close to people in this line of work." You think to yourself.

You clamber out of bed and stretch out the healthier of your limbs and open your window. Taking a deep breath of the crisp winter air. The warm fuzziness in your head seemed to fade as if by magic and you start to feel a little better.

"Don't get depressed. You have to concentrate on the here and the now." The memory of your friends seemed to whisper on the wind.

You splash your face with cold water from the basin to wake yourself up and wash away the night's terrors. You gaze into the mirror before you and grin broadly.

"ALRIGHT!" you exclaim.

"Time for breakfast!"

You discover a clean and pristinely pressed new uniform in your wardrobe and get dressed as best as you can without hurting yourself. It was a struggle buttoning your shirt with your one good hand but you managed it somehow. Next came the task of brushing your hair and tying it up into your favorite style...but that proved too much for your arm and you had no choice but to leave it down.

"I guess it works. Not like I will be seeing any action for a while anyway." You think to yourself, remembering the words of the doctor who saw to your injuries upon your arrival back. You are under strict orders not to over exert yourself for a month at the very least to give your arm and eye a chance to heal.

You sigh deeply and realize what that can only mean. Assisting the senior officers with errands and all that boring paper work someone has to do. But due to the shortage of officers in the vicinity at the moment it means none of it gets done. And only the smartest and most responsible soldiers were chosen for this task. You came to the conclusion that it was quite flattering that they chose you. However you would have liked the chance to take some sick leave to go and visit your family...but being the proud responsible soldier that you are, you saw it as your duty to carry out any assignment they issue you with.

All dressed and ready to begin the day. It feels so good to get out of that room after what felt like an eternity. Walking down the corridor you stop in your stride and realize.

"Wait! What time is it?"

You sprint your way down the rest of the corridor, fly down several flights of stairs with the upmost swiftness, narrowly sweeping passed two soldiers on the stairwell, and skidded into the cafeteria. Before breaking to a complete stop you spot the clock. It was approximately two minutes to eight in the morning.

"Shit."

Wide eyed and frantic you, you stuff a nearby bread roll into your mouth and continue eating it whilst you run.

"Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap" you muttered.

"HE is going to be so pissed if I turn up late after I volunteered to assist him today."


	2. Old Familiars

It took you approximately three minutes and thirty two seconds to reach your destination. Somewhat out of breath you approach the door to the office, taking a moment to compose yourself and straighten your windswept hair. You take a deep breath and knock on the door...silence.

"Huh?"

You knock again but louder...but still nothing.

"Hmm. Wonder where..."

Before you could finish that sentence a gloved finger taps you on the shoulder. You turn to look over your shoulder. A head of jet black hair neatly parted just off centre. You follow it down to see it was Captain Levi, standing a little close for comfort. Staring daggers at you with those dark stoic eyes filled with annoyance. Your heart skipped a beat as you practically leapt out of your skin.

"C-Captain Levi", you stammered. You quickly saluted him to demonstrate a false sense of composure.

"Good Morning, Sir", you spoke out with audible confidence.

For a second he continued to stare at you.

"You're late." He said sternly.

"My apologies, Captain. I have no excuse for running late, Sir...But if I did, it would simply be that I lost track of the time, Sir."

Shortly followed by your internal thoughts of "...but he's running later than I am."

Levi breaks his silent probing stare and sighs with despairingly.

He scopes you from head to boot. He takes a step closer and proceeds to straighten your crooked shirt collar. He pauses for a moment when he sees your hair hanging loosely about your shoulders. Gently, with his gloved fingers he sweeps your lengths over your shoulder. He then proceeded to dust off the breadcrumbs from your hastily eaten breakfast.

"Idiot." he mutters.

But you just stand there as he continues to groom you, with an awkward little smile on your face.

You were used to his treatment by now. Levi was rather casual with his coarse attitude towards just about everybody. It was strange for him not to be. It was just the way he was. Being in the Scouting Legion yourself for many years now, it was customary for him to greet you this way. But it didn't bother you. You have saved each other's skins once or twice out on the battlefield and you had both come to share some common sense of respect for each other, even if you were only his subordinate. The two of you have managed to survive longer than a vast number of soldiers who have been lost to the Titans over the years. You awed at his incredible skill in combat and identified with that one soft spot in him that he kept hidden away from most. You admired him for his devotion to both his men and the survival of the people. You've seen that silent look in his eyes when he has had to return home with half his team bagged and tagged in the back of those all too familiar wagons as they solemnly roll in through those gates. There were times you felt awful when the town's people would gather to welcome home the troops. They celebrate the lives that made it home and pray to God their sons and daughters were among them. Breaking the news is no easy task, especially when that sorrow of theirs turns to hate towards the survivors. Those survivors will only have to go back out there and keep fighting for the freedom of those who hate them. But at the end of the day, you and those few others keep marching on. The memory of the fallen men and women keep you trying harder time after time. And someday, victory will be yours...no, it'll be theirs.

"Oi! (Your name). Are you going to stand in the doorway all day? I need tea dammit." Levi snapped.

You turn and smile cheerfully towards him.

"Yes. On my way, Sir."

"He might be crass and hard to be around sometimes, but when it really boils down to it. You're the one I look up to the most in this place Captain Levi. You're stronger than anyone else I know." you think to yourself with a contented little blush in your cheeks.

You close the door behind you and walk towards Levi's desk. He was sat in his chair with his legs resting on the desk reading through the neatly filed papers.

"Would you like milk and sugar in your tea, Sir?" you smiled.

"Milk. No sugar today." he murmured.

"Coming right up, Sir." You cheerfully walk over to the trolley and see everything has been laid out perfectly. The silverware was sparkling. The teacups were trimming. The china was charming. You were dazzled by its brilliance to say the least. But it was just like Levi to be so immaculate with his cleanliness and organization. It made everything easy to find and prepare. You felt it was almost a shame to use any of it as it looked like Levi had put so much work into its composition. Nonetheless you took the upmost care in making his first cup of the day. You wanted to make the best first impression. You and Levi might have known each other for so long. But this was the first time you would spend any extended time alone with him in his personal space. You wanted him to feel at ease with you being there so you wanted to make yourself as useful as possible.

You gently place his tea on his desk and turn the saucer so that the handle was positioned at 4 o'clock. You were eager to see his response to your tea making ability. You always did have the streak of a perfectionist yourself. Until that moment, you decided to distract yourself with arranging Levi's bookcase and returning books to their correct places. A few moments later he placed his papers down and rubbed his brow for a moment. He took the cup and raised it to his lips...he fell into a thoughtful silence.

"(Your name), take a seat for a moment. I need to go over your responsibilities over the next few weeks." he gestured you to sit with a lazy wave of his hand.

You perched yourself on the chair opposite his desk eagerly awaiting his word.

He sat back in his chair, legs crossed with his fingers interwoven round each other in that thoughtful manner he sometimes took. He looks across to you making sure you are listening to his every word. He follows this with a sigh.

"First of all, can we cut this "Sir" crap when we are alone?" He asked firmly.

"Huh?" You seemed a little surprised by this sudden announcement.

"Only refer to me as "Captain" in the presence of your fellow soldiers. Otherwise call me by name. It's about time you followed protocol on what it means to be a part of MY team. You as a soldier are exceptionally talented. I've witnessed that for myself. Also, your standing record of performance is most noteworthy. Clearly your abilities are wasted on the likes of paperwork. However due to current circumstances your services are required here, despite your injuries. Prove to me during this period that you are as exceptional off the battlefield as you are on it."

His eyes gazed with sincerity to every word spoken. Not once did he look away. He was awaiting your reaction to his request.

You were about to rise from your seat and salute him out of habbit. But that look on his face made you rethink. You sank back to your seat.

"I-I understand...Levi". You look down, twiddling your fingers not sure where to look after Levi's sudden announcement. Could it be that he has chosen to trust you? It was going to take some getting used to...but this new development put a smile on you on the inside.

"Right. Back to business." Levi sighed as if with a sense of relief.

"Seeing how our last exhibition outside the walls was so costly, it would seem that our teams and their leaders have been given some time to recover. But that doesn't mean you can slack off and take it easy. That last month away generated a whole heap of work that needs to be done around here. And because you are the most mobile after the mission, you get an early start. You will be working beside me carrying out jobs, running errands and the like while you are recovering from your injuries."

"Ha! Not wasting a single ounce of manpower are they?" you thought to yourself.

Levi noticed you're good eye scan to the left. He could see you thinking things out. He takes another sip of tea and deliberately lands the cup down loudly.

"Hey, Dumbass. Are you listening?"

"Yes, Levi." You jumped to attention.

Levi looked down at his papers again at what appeared to be a list of rooms in the building circled in red ink.

"(Your name), for your first job starting tomorrow will be based in the library. The trainees have been researching in there and...Well...it's nothing short of a shithole. Basically you will be cleaning and tidying up what mess those brats left behind for someone else to deal with. Any questions?"

"Yes, just one. Err...will I be alone for this task?"

"No. I will be supervising you once I get tomorrow morning's papers all signed and sent off."

You sighed with relief.

"Thank God." you whispered to yourself.

"Hmm?" Levi glanced over to you puzzled.

You laugh nervously, not realizing that you had said that aloud.

"Well, a mammoth task like that for just one person...that sounds...so...boring. Knowing me I'd probably get distracted and start reading them. Those wonderful, wonderful musty old books..." you trailed off with a silly grin on your face.

Levi could see you had fallen into your own little fantasy. He got up from his chair and walked around his desk toward you. He looked down upon you and rested a hand on the arm of your chair, closing you in. He proceeded to lean in closer. You naturally leaned back into your seat to increase the distance between you. His dark grey intimidating gaze was finally even with yours. He reaches in to you and takes a length of your hair between his gloved finger tips. Without emotion or hesitation he whispers to you.

"I'm going to work you so hard you will repulse the very sight of another book. That old musty smell will make you wretch. And if need be, I will make you scrub every corner of that library with every last page of every last damn book in the place. By the time you're done, your fingers will be worn down to the bone of your bloody knuckles".

"..."

You gaze silently and wide eyed back at Levi. A bead of sweat runs from your temple. Feeling very uncomfortable with the position he had pushed you into. He was so close you could smell the soap and disinfectant he'd splashed himself with that morning. You start to feel your face warming up so you break eye contact with him and look down at your feet. Levi eventually backs off and walks toward the window with his hands folded behind his back. After that bout of awkward tension, a day in the library didn't sound like such a fun idea.

"Tch. Buzz kill", you mutter under your breath.

"By the way..." Levi called over as he remained facing the window.

"Err. Yes?" You stuttered.

He silently raised the gloved hand that touched your hair to his face in his thoughtful manner.

"Keep that hair clean and tie it up."


	3. The Library Part 1

The following morning at seven fifty nine sharp, you were making your way over to the library, fully equipped with an arsenal of cleaning equipment. After your briefing with Levi, he left you with a detailed list of things you would need for today's chores. You prayed you hadn't forgotten anything as you were feeling distracted today. The only thing you hadn't done was tie your hair back as Levi had ordered you to do. The burning in your arm reminds you of the restless night's rest you woke up from that morning. The aching in your limb and eye caused you to have nightmares again. You only recall them as a disturbing album of blurred faces and low muffled growling. You tried so hard to remember, but the harder you tried the hazier they became. You stopped still in the corridor to nurse your eye patch for a moment.

"It's no good." you frowned.

"I can't see or hear what I saw last night. At the time, it felt so vivid. So much in fact, it threw me out of bed. I feel like...it was...something...worth remembering..."

"...God I'm tired" you sighed deeply.

"I think I need to get a hobby. Or at least spend some time around some familiar faces. Keeping all this crap bottled up is going to turn my hair grey." You chuckled.

Whilst your mind was on the subject of grey things...

"Hope he doesn't get too mad. He might have a SHORT fuse", you giggled out loud to yourself as your hair swayed about your shoulders.

You finally reach your destination in the long, dark, stone corridor. The air was still and your breath was misty.

"Sure hope this doesn't take too long." you thought to yourself, as you reached into your pocket for the library keys. With a booming metallic thud of the latch the door was open. You shivered in your boots as an icy draught blew through the door. It was too hard to make anything out. Stepping into the darkness, your footsteps echoed throughout the room. With a loud creak and a sharp bang, the door slammed shut behind you. You spun round as the last of the last of the light was shut out, leaving you in total darkness. You walk blindly towards what you believed to be the edge of the room. Feeling around with your hands you find the latch and open the tall window shutters. The morning winter sun had just begun to rise, flooding the room with pale yellow light. Through the misted glass, you could see the sparkling frost that dusted the rooftops outside.

"There. That's much better." You said patting your hands together.

"Now where do...eh!?" Laid out before you was most certainly the junk heap of all junk heaps. Discarded books and papers carelessly strewed all over the room. Many were piled up across the floors, tables, and even the chairs. The waste paper baskets were piled up high with screwed up parchment paper and broken quills. And the smell of empty dried up ink jars was far less than pleasant.

"The very definition of a pig-sty", That deep familiar monotone voice came from the doorway.

"Oh! Captain Levi. I thought...huh?"

Your Captain WAS standing in the doorway. But he looked more grim than usual. All decked out in his cleaning gear. He was dressed in his uniform with his sleeves rolled up. With the addition of a white house apron, head scarf, cleaning gloves and a dust mask over his face...which only drew more focus to that grey intimidating stare of his. He took a stance that seemed to say: "Let's do this!" But it was too hard to take so seriously when he was pointing at you with a feather duster. You turn to face the window and struggle to hold in your fit of hysterics.

"Keep that up and I will have you cleaning the dorms using only your toothbrush in your underwear for the entire legion to see." he snapped.

You immediately stop giggling and grab your mop.

"You sure know how to twist a girl's arm." you chant with sarcastic enthusiasm. But you notice Levi is staring daggers at you still.

"Okay...what did I do?" you uttered.

"Your hair. I told you to tie it up."

"I tried to but my arm still hurts a lot when I reach up."

Levi marches over to the chair nearest to him and tips the junk off of it and dusts the seat down. After removing his gloves, he drags the mask down away from his face.

"Sit." he commanded.

You acknowledged the urgency in his tone of voice and took a seat. He stood behind you and you gave him something to tie it with. He gripped it between his teeth and dove in with both hands. A touch of his hand on the back of your head told you to tilt it forward. You sensed his bare ungloved hands sweep across the skin of your neck and his fingertips kissed your jawline. You smiled quietly to yourself and enjoyed the moment as he worked your hair. You could feel that dark grey gaze of concentration beating down on the back of your head. His breath was warm on the nape of your neck as he was running his fingers through the lengths of your hair, shaping it into a bun for you. Once finished, you inspect his work in the reflection of the window pane.

"Aah..." you were stunned. The bun he'd tied was perfect. Not too tight but not slack either. And every strand stayed in place.

"It's...its really good...thank you Levi". You turn to him, rewarding him with a grateful smile.

"Not done yet idiot."

He firmly turns your head back towards the window with a swift movement of his hand under your chin and he begins tying the knot of a head scarf. His motions fall silent and still.

"C-Captain..."

You sense his bare fingertips slowly moving along your jaw, tilting your head back. Your body seizes. But your neck obeys. You find his eyes, gleaming straight down into yours. His gaze pierced through you from above like a bolt of lightning from highest divinity. His eyes were that somber shade you had only ever seen before in the blackest of rainclouds before a thunderstorm. It was flooding your mind like a downpour of warm summer rain that was melting away your inhibitions. He slowly leans in closer, his fingertips lightly kissing at your throat. His warm breath caressed your lips. You feel your cheeks glowing. You didn't believe what was happening. It was pointless resisting now. You were already lost. You wanted to close your eyes and savor the moment...but Levi breaks eye contact and targets the door.

Suddenly, the door swings open. A trainee soldier and his companions step in.

"Err. Excuse us? Is the library open today?" he called out.

He casts his eye about the room and falls upon Levi's presence. He makes the mistake of making eye contact with him. Levi's gaze had turned from that divine vision you witnessed only moments ago, and transformed into that dark, menacing, pissed off glare. It was like he was emitting a threatening aura that pushed the trainees back. Struck with hesitation, they frantically apologies before scrambling out of the room like a litter of frightened pups.

"Tch! What the hell were those trainees doing here?" Levi hissed.

You looked across at Levi and began to laugh.

"What the hell you laughing at?" he glared.

"You, Levi. You were like the Big Bad Wolf. Sending those cute little piglets running for their lives." you jested.

"If so, then that would make you Red Riding Hood." he glared.

"Ha...very funny." you mutter.

Levi turns away from you and walks slowly towards the door.

"Had those little piglets not disturbed us..." he looks back at you over his shoulder.

"...you might've been eaten alive."


	4. The Library Part 2

**Chapter.3. The Library. Part.2.**

Levi walks away, leaving you looking onward, puzzling at his cryptic words. No time for that however. If you do not get this place cleaned and spotless before day's end, you only predicted only harsher punishments to come. You push one of the sliding ladders across to one end of the room and begin to climb it to the highest shelf. You dusted and scrubbed and polished the lengths of the shelving for what felt like hours, until your hands blistered. Wiping the sweat from your brow, you long to be outside feeling the wind in your face, soaring through the air of the town with your 3D gear.

It is twilight by the time you slide the last few books back into their correct places. The floors, tables and waste paper baskets were sparkling. Your arms felt like lead. Exhausted, you peel off your apron and gloves and fall into the nearest chair and lay your hot sweaty forehead down onto the cold hard table. It was bliss.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Levi's voice echoed from across the room, almost with a hint of victory in his fight against the filth.

You could only muster a groan as you sat back on the chair gazing up to the ceiling.

"Levi...do you enjoy this so much?" you groaned rhetorically.

"Good cleaning is proof of discipline. An idiot like you wouldn't understand it in its fullest concept". He scoffed as he removed his gloves and apron.

"Humph. Well you know...ugh! Dammit!", you spotted a book at the end of the table. You get up and read its spine to find that it belonged on one of the higher shelves. Casting your eyes upward, you assess the situation. You would need the ladder for this. You stroll over to it and give it a tug.

"Hmm?" you blinked confused.

You tug harder...nothing. You push it...nothing. It had become stuck.

"Seriously?" you yelped.

You felt a tap on your shoulder. You turn to Levi's neutral expression. He could see you stressing. He walked over the bookcase and got down on one knee.

"Stand on my shoulders." He said.

You stop and look at him for a moment and nodded agreeing to his idea. However, he stops you before you could thank him for his assistance and frowns, pointing at your boots.

"Take 'em off!" he ordered.

"Oh...oh yeah." You laugh nervously. You sit down beside him and remove your long brown leather boots to expose the dainty flesh of your feet. They were warm and aching from being up on the ladder steps all day. After propping your boots up beside the bookcase, Levi reaches his hands out to you. Feeling hesitant you take him by the hands as he supports you. Gently placing each foot on either shoulder, he rises slowly under you. It reminded you of your training days when you were first learning how to keep your balance in the maneuver gear class. Luckily you had a natural talent for it.

"Are you done yet?" Levi called abruptly.

"It hardly smells of sunshine and roses down here".

You blush furiously at Levi's insult. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, you quickly replace the book and turn back to retort. Foolish move as this made you lose balance. Panic stricken all you could do was fall. Your foot slips off Levi's shoulder. You shut your eyes tight and brace yourself for impact.

"Mph!"...you felt a pressure around your ribs. You feared you'd broken something. You slowly opened your eyes afraid of what you might see. You quickly gathered your courage and found that you had clumsily wrapped yourself around Levi to break your fall. You felt like a fool. What must the two of you look like? You blushed with embarrassment at the thought of Levi's penetrating glare of disappointment.

"AH...AH...I-...I'm…" you tried to blurt out an apology amidst the nervous drivel you were spewing. You straightened yourself up so you could look him in the eye.

"I'm so-..."...your eyes met with Levi's. Your noses were practically touching. Your arms locked around his neck. He had somehow managed to catch you and still remain standing. The pressure on your chest was because he had caught you in his arms and was holding you tightly. Your heart began to flutter; your cheeks began to burn. It was getting harder to breathe. Levi only continued to gaze up at you with those eyes, the colour of thunder clouds. He seemed a little different this time. His gaze almost felt...emotional. You noticed his cheeks glowing. Or it could have been your imagination. A trick of the rosy twilight and the shadows it cast around you. And that's when you felt it. One of his hands had slid up the back of your jacket and the other was clasping your thigh. You started to feel something inside of you. Like walls had started to crumble around your heart as it pounded away inside of them. The warmth of Levi's body against yours soothed the aching that had been tormenting you since you started having the dreams. Those night terrors filled with the same familiar blurry faces night after night. Silently surrounded by the evening's stillness you drew your hands around Levi's neck. One hand ran through the back of his dark soft hair. The other, you drew around his face. His ivory skin was warm to the touch and was as soft as silk. You close your eyes and rest your forehead against his. Levi loosens his grip around you causing you to slip through his embrace. Your lips fall into his. Your eyes shot open. What was happening? Levi was there, holding you in his arms and kissing you. The flesh of his lips was soft and sweet. You melt into his grasp and surrender your senses to this sumptuousness comfort.

"Gnn!" You gasp with the sudden surge of pain in your arm.

Levi breaks away with an almost concerned look on his face. You draw back your arms from around his neck and nurse the bandage on your arm. A throbbing painful heat consumes it.

"What's wrong?" Levi asked coolly.

"Captain…Please put me down." You whimper.

Levi gently releases you from his embrace. You hold your aching arm close to you and shyly look down at the floor. Levi just stands there, his head hung low and his eyes obscured by his hair. You were afraid you had offended him. The same Captain renowned for his crude, brutish manner, the most offensive individual you had ever met in the military. You pick up your boots and hurriedly slide back into them.

"I-I have to go. It's so late already." You smile nervously.

"Yes. *Ahem* I expect you in my office first thing in the morning (Your Name)." Levi clears his throat before correcting his cravat, returning to his normal stoic self.

You fidgeted as you walked away from him towards the door. You couldn't let him see just how red your face was in the light of the corridor.

"Yep! See you bright and early for more of that thing tomorrow...and...stuff...BYE!"

You sprinted as fast as your legs could carry you. You didn't care where they took you, so long as it was as far away from that library as possible. You reach your dorm, burst through the door and lock it fast. Puffing and panting, you leaned back against the door. Exhausted from the day's work and that sudden unexpected turn of events, you slid down to sit on the cold hard floor in disbelief. A few moments later, you calmed down and ran your fingers through the hair that hung around your face.

"Dammit." you mutter sadly clasping your arm.


	5. The Office

**Chapter.4. Ave Maria**

The following week dragged by since that day in the library. But you were determined not to let personal feelings stand in the way of your duties, and you were eager for things to quickly return to normal. Levi went back to being his cold, quiet, abrasive self. Your service with him continued like nothing had happened, and concluded that it was better this way. That day the sky was dark and overcast. It made you feel uneasy and a little bit depressed. You were struggling to stay awake as you sat at Levi's desk both of you writing away in silence. You occasionally glanced up from your work to see Levi's concentrated expression.

"It's not fair." You thought to yourself.

"Ever since that day in the library I haven't been able to stop thinking about him. This last week has been rather emotional hasn't it? First, the dreams that have been keeping me awake. I still need to write out my eye witness account for the last mission's report…but I just can't remember anything that happened. I wish…I could remember what happened to the ones I was with. My last appointment with the Doctor was only somewhat productive. He suggested the reason I can't remember anything is due to something he referred to it as "Shell Shock". Common amongst soldiers in the frontlines who have seen the worst a fight can offer. It can take on many forms such as paranoia or aggression. For other's it is just like a complete block out of memory, the mind's way of protecting itself. Some recover quickly…some…never get better. Was my mission so terrible that my mind has completely suppressed it altogether? Even the team I was with? If so…do I really want to remember it? What exactly happened to…my friends? He gave me something to help me sleep, which I guess is a start. But the dreams still come. He says my arm is recovering quicker than he first predicted. It doesn't twitch anymore, and it looks like I could be getting this bandage removed from my eye in another week or two. It's still very sensitive to the light. I suppose when I look at it all from this perspective, I am pretty damn lucky. I'm alive aren't I?"

Levi notices you've stopped writing and looks up at you. The sudden eye contact makes you flush red and you dive right back into your writing.

"Getting bored already?" Levi scowls gazing daggers at you.

"Err…no Captain" you flustered.

You reached over to refill your quill. Your hand brushes passed Levi's as he does the same. Your eyes dart to the side with hesitation and returned to your parchments keeping your head low to hide your awkwardness.

"Then there was that…thing…with Levi. I mean what was he thinking? I'm only assisting him while I get over my injuries. When he said, "I hope you are as exceptional off the battlefield as you are on it." Did he mean…*furious blush* I mean…does he get that friendly with all of his assistants? Is that all he sees me as?"

You felt your heart sink down into your chest.

"It doesn't bother me. It doesn't bother me in the slightest. He can do whatever he wants…So…why does this tightness in my chest recur when we are alone together? It feels…awful."

Levi looks across to you again. He sees your writing hand tremble as you fall silent.

"Let's take a break." Levi said.

"You're clearly distracted and not getting anything done, so get some tea going."

"Yes, Captain." you mumble.

You get up from your chair and begin preparing some tea. You remain silent, wondering what Levi must think of you. Levi shuffles his papers together, placing them in a neat pile to the side. You bring the tea over and sit there in silence. Levi crosses his legs in his chair. He didn't seem to be drinking either. He just seemed to sit there thoughtfully.

"I feel like such a fool." You think to yourself as you stare quietly into the reflection of your tea.

"I should be mourning my friends. But...I can't, I just feel so numb. I haven't even cried for them. The wall in my memory won't let me. Levi must think I have a heart of stone. It's so messed up that I feel more emotion over these conflicting frivolous thoughts over what happened in that damned library than I do about the loss of my friends…I am so fucked up."

You gritted your teeth as your throat began to tighten. You reach to put your teacup down on the desk. But it slips from your grasp… it falls to the floor, shattering to pieces.

"Oh…Ah… I'm sorry Levi. You only cleaned this floor this morning didn't you? I'll clean it up right away."

You couldn't even lift your head to look Levi in the face as you collected the fragments of broken china on the floor. You knew he could only be mad at you.

"Talk to me." He uttered, glancing down with his icy glare.

"Huh?"

He stared at you from across the desk with those same stoic eyes that once made your heart race. But today, they only made you feel small.

"You are too quiet today. And you get clumsy when you are distracted." He muttered.

You hang your head, unable to answer.

"…It was a good service this morning…wasn't it?" you uttered.

It didn't take long for Levi to put two and two together. You had both attended the service that morning together. He knew you were saying goodbye to old friends you had fought beside for years. He saw in your trembling hands that your heart was breaking every moment he stood next to you, while the names of your companions were read out to the congregation. Levi quietly places his cup down and entwines his fingers as he rested his elbows on the desk.

"Remembering the ones who were lost is important. It allows us to both mourn their passing and to celebrate the lives they lived. But most importantly, accepting their passing and taking upon their responsibility…their desires…their wishes to protect the people they served and protected. That should be all that matters to a soldier. Especially, here in the Recon Corp. Death is all too familiar with us. It's people like us that laugh in its face. We have to. Death keeps picking us off like vermin…but for every one that falls, two takes their place. You are not just one soldier (Your Name). You are every soldier who has fallen before you. Every man and woman in this Legion walks with an army at their backs. It's selfish and cowardly to think you stand alone on the threshold, crying like some ignorant brat. We fight for their victory as well as our own. Never forget that…and those who do forget are nothing more than scum."

The sincerity in your Captain's words struck a blow in you.

"(Your Name). Are you scum?" Levi glared coldly.

Levi's speech stirred in you. It made you remember the reasons why you held him in such high regard, the same soldier who you've known for years and admired for his unrivalled bravery and skill. He reminded you of all the things you strived to be since the early years of your training. You had grown up so well following his example. You rise from your seat and proudly salute him.

"My Captain…I swear to you. I will never forget the ones I lost that day…for the rest of my life."

The raven haired man sits up.

"Then go back to being the idiot you were before and stop making me worry about you." He scowled.

"Y-yes, Sir…I-I mean Captain." You stuttered, not sure whether to take that a compliment or as an insult. You were too happy to care. Levi had gone back to his kick-ass, inspiring self and you had remembered your calling in life. You took a step to his desk and leaned over so you were face to face with him with the cutest smile you had. You were so happy you felt you could kiss him right there. But before you could say anything…

"(Your Name), come round here a second. My window appears to be speckled with dirt…Clean it for me." He ordered.

"Hm? Alright, sure thing Captain." You chuckled.

You retrieve a cloth from the cupboard and walk to the window beside the desk. Your back was turned when a pair of hands clasped you around the waist. You felt them draw you backwards and down onto the arm of Levi's chair. He perched you there next to him, with an arm wrapped around the small of your back resting his hand on your hip.

"Huh?" You look down to see a tired eyed Captain look up at you as he always did. He gently placed a white gloved finger under your chin in order to hold your attention.

"Don't go doing that again." He sighed grumpily.

Your face felt warm again at the feeling of Levi's glove on your face. You nodded a warm little smile to him. He sighed deeply and rested his head on your shoulder; his eyes became obscured by the black of his hair. At first you didn't know what to do with yourself but just seeing him there, so relaxed and calm. You couldn't bring yourself to break away. He was so warm against you. It was comforting having him resting against you holding you to him.

"Who knew you were capable of being so damn cute." You thought to yourself as you raised your arm and laid it across the top of the chair.

"Humph, idiot" he muttered.

You glanced down. All you could see was the subtle glow in his cheeks that made you smile uncontrollably. Was it possible you'd made him shy? He openly admitted to being worried about you only moments ago. Is it possible that he was growing attached to you? You felt so at peace like this. Sitting together gazing out the window as the clear yellow sunset began to break through the dark overcast clouds in the distance.


	6. The Forest

**Chapter.5****.**** The Forest**

The rain thrashing upon you, made the scent of evergreens all the more intense. The icy squalling wind made your face ache and made your eyes sting as you soared through the open air of the black forest with your 3D Maneuver Gear at your back. You scan about you and spot two others by your side. Your comrades, blonde-haired, blue eyed female, Hannah and brunette, six-foot fellow, Mouse.

"We have to catch up to him!" You shout across to them.

"If he gets any further he'll jeopardize the mission."

"Dammit. Luke. Why?" you mutter to yourself.

You and your teammates were quickly closing in on the one black haired male figure that had gone on ahead.

"I'm going in!" shouted Mouse.

Hannah, nods at you and shortly follows in after Mouse.

A few moments later you spotted the glimmer of shining metal up ahead. The sound of blades clashing was muffled through the rain. Finally, you hear the crashing of tree branches. Your target had fallen. With all your strength you descended into the scene down below on the forest floor. Finding your footing, you run over towards raised voices. Mouse had the target pinned to a tree by the collar.

"Luke. What the hell were you thinking?" he shouted angrily.

The two men struggled, Hannah and yourself standing by as they clash words.

"I had to go back. I-I couldn't leave her behind." Luke scowled.

"Tia's gone. Luke. You saw it for yourself. We all did! That son of a bitch…it…it-…"…Mouse fell silent. His voice and his fists were shaking. You reach out your hand and clasp it gently round Mouse's.

"Mouse. I am just as furious at this fucker as you are right now. But there is a time and place for this. Right now, all we can do is get back to the mission."

Your focused gaze shifts over to Luke, still pinned to the tree.

"I am sorry about Tia. She was one of my closest friends just like you. Along with Mouse and Hannah…..I can't bear to lose anymore of you." Your voice began to tremble as you gazed sympathetically into Luke's eyes. He relents and Mouse releases him. Suddenly, you felt a faint rumble in the ground beneath your feet. The sound caused the nearby puddles to ripple, as if the rain itself quaked in anticipation.

"ASCEND!" You yelled.

All of you immediately launch yourselves up into the air, climbing higher and higher up into the cover of the trees.

You signal to the others to remain silent and still. The only thing you could hear now was the deafening patters of the torrential rain on the leaves and bark all around you. You take a peek down below into the blackness from which you had ascended. A low grunting sound faintly echoed from the abyss. You hair stood on end. Waiting silently as your heart bounced around in your chest. You lay down flat on the branch, feeling around for vibrations. You were trying to work out your next strategy. Where was the enemy? How many were there? The success of the mission was imperative. But most importantly you had to get your team back alive. Was it wise to stay in one place for so long? Or should you take your chances and make a run for it? Either way could spell death for you all if you didn't respond quickly enough. You needed to know what type of Titan it was. Normal Titans are easier to outsmart and outrun. It must have been pretty stupid to wonder into the forest like that. They don't like enclosed spaces much. However, if it was a…

ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH…*SMASH*

"Wooaah—wah…AAHH!" Hannah shrieked as she lost her balance to the sudden violent shaking of the tree. She loses her footing on the wet slippery branch and falls down into the blackness out of sight…

ROOOOAAAAAAAAAHAAHHHHHH…..

Your eyes widen and full of alarm, your heart pounding in your ears. You cling to your branch, frozen to the spot. You silently mouth Hannah's name. You voice had left you.

"HANAAAAAH!" Mouse's cry bellowed out into the darkness below. Silence fell. All you could hear was Mouse, sobbing Hannah's name over and over. You gritted your teeth and forced the tears down inside of you. You were shaking all over. First Tia…and now Hannah. You wondered if you could still stand. You bite your lip hard and felt its pain. It was the one way you could snap yourself out of this fear induced paralysis. It was time to get the hell out of there. You look across to your two remaining companions. Two grown men shaking, cowering in fear and sorrow over their lost companions. They looked like hell. You call across to them.

"Retreat immediately! We will regroup with the other scouting team at the next rendezvous poi-"

ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

Another monstrous impact assaulted the tree. You slipped and clung fast to the slippery wet branch. Your cry of panic alerted Mouse.

"I'm coming over to you, (Your Name). Just hang on!"

Mouse launches his grappling hooks and flings himself towards you. You feel the rumbling again, only this time it was as loud as thunder.

"MOUSE!" You stretch out you hand for his.

ROOOOOAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!….*SPLAAATCH!*

You froze. Mouse's outstretched torso flew passed you and lifelessly wrapped itself around the tree. You turn round, mortified. All that remained was a mass of red fleshy pulp…the rest of him was gone, down the throat of the howling beast. It was obvious to see now. The thing from below was an Aberrant. Up to this point you had briefly encountered these "Freak Titans" up close before. They were far worse than your normal Titan. These things…were insanely agile and combining that with their bulky lack of coordination…made them all the more harder to both evade…and kill.

It pale greyish clammy form went crashing back down into the black abyss. One of Mouse's legs followed down after it. The impact of the beast's landing shook the entire forest, sending Luke sliding over the edge of his branch. He stabbed the branch with his blade to stop himself from sliding.

You saw him in trouble and climbed down towards him.

"GRAB MY HAND!" you cried.

Luke struggles. His strength was leaving him. You grabbed him by his free hand and pulled for dear life.

"GNNNNNAAAAHH….COME ON!" you roared as the icy rain pelted down.

Luke looks up at you and smiles.

""I know you can do this, (Your Name)…Just a little more!"

"I should be saying that to you, you lazy bum." You cracked.

The sweat and rain made Luke's wrists slip from your grasp. The force dragged you down slicing your left arm upon Luke's blade wedged in the tree.

"Gnahh!" The pain seared though your arm and up into your side. The pressure made your arm throb painfully, while your blood ran down onto Luke's face.

ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!

"It's going to attack again, Luke! We need to hurry!"

You both put all you had into pulling Luke's body back up to no avail. Luke dangles helplessly. All falls silent. His eyes filled with horror as he looked back down. All the two of you saw was those sadistic grinning jaws bared, coming towards you like a bat out of hell.

*SQUELSH*

You gazed down in terror as the beast dangled there in the air, holding tightly onto its prize. The sound of Luke's flesh ripping open and the crunching of his bones against the creature's teeth had you flinching.

An explosion of black red blood erupts from Luke's mouth. With his last breath, Luke splutters your name and passes away…You stand there in silence. The blood of your friends had blackened your uniform. You look down upon your blood stained hands as the beast gnaws away at what was left of Luke. You whip out both of your swords and descend silently and swiftly upon the Titan's shoulders.

"You like that?...How about you help yourself to some of ME!" You launch your grappling hooks into the creature's skin and shove your blade into the creature's eye.

AAAAOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHH!

As the Titan opened its jaws, it fell from the tree. You straddle the beast as it plummets down into the deep. Before impact you release the hooks and stab your blades into a nearby tree braking your fall. But that wasn't enough for you. You climb to the nearest branch above you. Your eyes darken with a cold silvery glint of murderous intent as you replenish your blades. You took a majestic dive from high up. Your sword beamed maliciously in the light...

*SHUURINNNG *

You sliced the nape of the beast's neck. And back flipped up and away as it attempted one last desperate swing for you. With one last pathetic wail it had already begun vaporizing into thin air. You stop to catch your breath and hold your distance to make sure that final blow counted. You didn't approach it till you could see most of its muscles and organs had melted away. The hot metallic stink rising from the smoldering corpse was so putrid it made you heave. You clasp a hand to your mouth as you walk over to what remained of its skull.

"You still smiling after that?" you frowned.

With a final wave of frustration and anger you slam the razors edge of your sword against its massive toothy smile. Your blade shatters and a fragment flies up into your face.

"GAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

The pain echoes throughout your head. Blood runs down your face and you fall to your knees, clasping your eye. The pain intensifies as a cascade of hot salty tears flood your eyes. It hurt all the more when you thought about how there was no one there to bandage your wounds, or share your victory with. Not today…not ever again. There was no victory that day, just a single solitary soldier licking her wounds, her body aching with regret.

"Tia…Hannah…Mouse…Luke…"

You sat there alone in the forest, next to the dissolving carcass, sobbing uncontrollably for your losses in the icy pelting rain.

An eternity passed before the sound of galloping hooves thundered towards you. It was the other scouting team you were supposed to meet up with. They must have suspected trouble and tracked your team down. From a distance you hear signs of life.

"What the hell happened here?" questioned one of the men.

"Whatever "It" was, I think we missed It." said another.

"Look around for any survivors." Another deeper voice ordered.

"Yes, Captain" they chanted together.

Two soldiers scouted far on their horses; while the others stayed close to investigate the fight scene. The green of the trees and the muddy brown forest floor were washed in thick dark red blood and lumps of flesh. Limbs and entrails hung draped in the branches. One of the soldiers violently vomited in the bushes as the smell was that offensively vile.

"Hey! We got a live one over here!" the one female soldier called out.

The Captain dismounted his horse and ran over. It was Captain Levi. The female soldier tries to give you some water. But you remain silent.

"Hey? Are you-" She places a hand on your shoulder. Your unconscious body flops lifelessly to the ground. She quickly puts you into a recovery position and checks your eyes and pulse for signs of life. Levi kneels down beside you listening intently to what could have been your last words….you stir. You struggle to focus your vision. All you can see is Levi's blurred outline.

"Cap…tain" you whisper weekly.

Levi scoops you up into his arms as you lay on the iron-cold ground.

"(Your name). What happened here? Did anyone else make it?"

Your vacantly gaze upward. The light in your eyes was fading. You were so numb all over from the cold to care anymore.

"…Luke…Hannah…Tia…Mou-…"

Finally, everything fades to black.


	7. The Solace

*Gasp...*

You found yourself in Levi's office. You raise your head from his desk sleepily.

"What was that?" you thought to yourself as you wiped the cold perspiration from your brow. You were shaking in your seat as you recalled the horrible visions you witnessed.

"Enjoy our nap did we?" Levi shrugged. He was sitting in his chair, scratching away at a sheet of parchment with an inked up quill.

"Err...Oh!...I fell asleep!?"

"Yes. Your snoring told me so." He folded his arms and scowled.

You sigh deeply, too tired to respond to Levi's insults. You were just relieved to be back in the warm, dry and far less frightening reality in Levi's office.

"I remember." You whispered.

"Hmm?" Levi looks to you.

"I remember what happened that day…on that last mission." You uttered quietly.

Levi's eyes gleamed with intrigue.

"Tell me exactly what happened." He said.

You frowned in thought as you tried to string your account out into reasonable sentences in your head. Levi waited intently.

"My teammates Tia Ladd, Luke Francis, Hannah Lowelle and Mou- I mean…Frederique Wells. We called him Mouse because of his mousey-brown hair; it was sort of a joke on his height. He was the tallest person in our class, but was so very timid. We had all been friends since our first day in military training. Luke bragged and bragged about how awesome he was at 3D Maneuver Gear training. When he got strapped in he flew flat on his face. We laughed so hard it hurt and it was difficult not to like him. He was always very cocky like that. And from that day on we just stuck together like glue. We made a great team. We were so good they sent us all out on missions together. For years it went on like a colourful blur of laughing and crying together, but the best part was the fear, the excitement and the wind at our backs. We felt in control of our own destinies for the first time in our lives and no Titan would break us apart. That is until something in our team changed and would never be the same again. Luke confessed his love to Tia and they were going to get married as soon as we came home from the mission. Mouse didn't take to the news very well and neither did Hannah. I think she had always had a thing for Mouse, and when she saw his reaction to the big announcement of their engagement, she assumed it was because Mouse loved Tia too. The first cracks in the foundations of our friendship. Time passed and the mission finally came. It was so bitterly cold that January morning when we all set off on horseback through the gates. The grass was white and crisp and the ground was hard like iron. I remember seeing you and your team Levi. I remember Mouse placing a bet with Petra that whoever got to the rendezvous point last had to buy the beer when we got home. Our groups parted ways and the mission got underway. Things seemed to be going smoothly…that was until we reached the forest. We believed travelling through there would prove safe enough as Titan's don't seem to enjoy enclosed spaces much. I was a fool to think such an idea was wise. Rather than providing us with protection, we had ridden straight into a trap. Tia was ahead of the group and was teasing Luke to ride faster. Before we knew where we were a Titan showed up behind us. It was only a fifteen footer, but none the less a risk I wasn't willing to take. We knew if it tailed us long enough it would soon draw in others with all the noise it was making. We had to do something so I left my horse with Mouse and fell back using my gear. Barely took seconds to dispatch the thing, but by that point it was already too late. I had fallen behind and the rest of the team had gone on ahead… I chased after them as fast as I could until I was close enough to hear the sound of a Titan's roar. I flew as fast as my gear would let me. By the time I reached the others, Tia was…"

The cup and saucer in your hand clattered together as your hands trembled when you recalled Tia's horrific fate. Levi was on the edge of his seat, keenly listening to your every word.

"Go on." He said coolly.

You took a sip of your tea and collected your broken words.

"When I arrived, Tia and the others were fighting another Titan. This one was bigger than the first. Tia lunged down from above to deliver a final blow, but it was too quick and it…it…caught her in its mouth…all we could was her listen to her muffled screaming from inside. It…it…tore her in half. Like a…wet paper doll." You clasped your mouth as your throat began to tighten.

"I can't even begin to imagine what she was feeling in those last few moments. Luke…he…I think the grief sent him into madness. He killed that Titan, right there and then. But even after it was dead he just kept hacking and hacking away. He said he couldn't leave Tia there to rot in its belly. I had never seen such fury in him before. It took all three of us to pull him away. Once you enter a Titan's mouth, that's it…, you never come out…until the Titan chooses to…expel you. We dragged him away. Tia's death hung heavy on us all. Especially Luke. We knew it was too dangerous to stay in one place for long. So we got back up on our horses and rode. We rode so hard the sound of our pounding hearts in our ears was drowned out. The mission always comes first. And when a team member is lost, you don't look back. However, Luke's emotions got the better of him. He couldn't leave Tia behind and he abandoned us. He flew back to her, in hopes of reclaiming her body. But that decision would ultimately end us all. He didn't get very far, before we caught up to him. However, because we backtracked so far we had wandered straight into dangerous territory. The fighting from earlier must have drawn It's attention. We took cover in the highest branches hoping whatever it was that was hunting us would lose interest. Just our luck it turned out to be an Aberrant that could jump. The rest you've already figured out...haven't you? You and your team showed up hours after that. You saw what that THING did. What little was left. There were no bodies to reclaim...because…because…"

You grip the fabric of your trousers so tightly your knuckles turned white.

"THAT FUCKING MONSTER ATE THEM!...It ate them one by one and tried to use their remains as bait to lure the rest of us out."

Hot salty tears flooded your eyes and cascaded down your blazing cheeks. You bury your face in your hands, sobbing heavily.

"The only way I could return them home…to their families…I took a tooth from each of them. And gave them back…after the memorial service. What more could I do for them?" you trembled in your seat, your face in your lap.

Levi remained silent. He rose from his seat and came over to you. He kneels down on one knee beside you and raised your head with his clean white gloved fingertips.

"You look like shit. Go wash up." He ordered.

You couldn't look your Captain in the face. Your eyes had become pink and puffy and your cheeks stung with their saltiness.

"Yes, Captain." You sniffled.

You rose from your seat and took a walk down the hallway to the ladies' restroom. You freshened yourself up with a splash of cold water to your face. You gaze into the mirror as you pat it dry. A pair of dark ringed eyes and a rosy red complexion stared back at you. The sleep deprivation and crying had taken their toll.

"Levi's right….I do look like shit." You sighed.

Walking back to the office the sound of the rain thrashing on the windows drowned out the sound of your footsteps. You stop and look for a moments silently…

"Maybe the rain brought back my memory of what happened out there."

You stood there thoughtfully. Recalling your friends' names and the vow you made together when you all graduated from training. You all promised each other that you would be there for each other through thick and thin.

"It…It's not fair." Gritting your teeth and clenching your fists.

You make a deep tearful sigh and wipe away a single tear.

"I will keep my promise. I will ensure no one else dies so long as they are with me." You silently vow to the rain.

A few minutes later you arrived back at Levi's office ready for work. You grabbed the door handle and smiled sadly.

"I really am a fool, aren't I, Captain?" you thought.

You enter the room with forced enthusiasm.

"All washed up and ready to work." You chanted.

As you said that, you noticed the desk had been cleared of all the papers and documents you were supposed to be working on. In their place were two steaming cups of tea.

"Is Hanji coming over?" you asked.

"Maybe she'll help to liven things up around here. It's so funny watching her rave about her new research projects. It's even funnier watching Levi become exasperated with it." You smiled to yourself.

"No." he responded tartly.

Levi returns to his desk and picks up his teacup.

"Sit. Drink it before it gets cold." He said quietly blowing to cool his tea.

You took a seat and gazed down at your cup during a moment of disbelief. Levi had made a cup of tea just for you. You wrap your finger around the handle and raise it to your lips. Its aroma was calming.

"This smells so good." You thought.

You took your first sip. It's warm, sweet milky flavor soothed you immensely. Your anxiety began to melt away with its warmth.

"I feel much better now." You thought with a relaxed little smile on your face. You looked across at him and blushed.

"Thank you Captain." You smiled.

"Humph". Levi continued to sip his tea. His cheeks flared a little.

A couple of hours later the two of you were knuckling down with the hand written details on the numerous documents you had been working at. Your eyes felt sore from the combination of sleep deprivation and the emotional turbulence of recalling your memories. But despite how tired you were feeling, you felt lighter, like a weight had been taken off your chest. Levi had sat and listened patiently to your story and had responded far better than you imagined he would. You half expected him to severely punish you or scold you for your choice of actions and the decisions you made during your mission that ultimately cost you your team. But Levi didn't judge, he didn't criticize. He just sat there and listened. Your eyelids start to drop and your head slowly descends to the desk. You had fallen fast asleep on Levi's desk again. Only this time, your dreams would be fairer and happier ones.

"Pass me the Jaeger document would you?" Levi asked.

Your silence prompted him to look up from his work. Yet again he found you sleeping on the job and frowned.

"Seriously." He sighed.

He rose from his desk and walked round to you.

"You're no good to me like this today." He muttered gazing down on you.

He reaches over and draws the lose hair around your face away with his fingertips, exposing your sleeping eyes.

"Seems I've spent so long gazing down on you…Watching you grow, and now here you are. You've caught up with me. Working right alongside me…If you knew the truth about me…I wonder…if it would frighten you."

He knelt down beside you in your chair and watched you sleep soundly. You stir and rub your eyes.

"Captain...I'm sorry I fell asleep again. Err…did you need something?" you yawned.

"Nothing." He simply said.

Out of nowhere he scoops you up out of the comfort of your seat so you were cradled in his arms. He gave his deep grey gaze that seemed…warm somehow as you wrapped your arms around his neck.

"Captain?" you ask sleepily with a slight blush on your face. You were too relaxed to get all excited this time whilst you were held suspended in the air by your Captain's embrace.

"You need to sleep." He said sharply.

You glanced downwards shyly.

"But there's still so much left to do Levi. It'll take all night." You argued.

He carried you over to the sofa at the side of the room and gently placed you there. He perched himself on the edge of the seat so he was sitting closely next to you sharing his warmth with you.

"Sleep now. You can barely stay awake so rest a bit. I'll keep going on what we started." He said as he draped his green recon cloak over you.

You gazed at him warmly. The look in his eyes made it clear there was no use in arguing with him. So you quietly accepted his order, too tired to give it another thought. You nestled down, resting your head on a cushion. The last thing you think about before falling asleep was the scent of Levi that enveloped you, keeping you warm on the outside and on the inside.

"His cloak. It smells like him. So clean and fresh…but something remains…" You thought quietly to yourself as your eyelids dropped.

Levi stood up and gazed down over you once more at your sleeping face. He swept the hair from your eyes and leaned into you. For a moment he hesitated as he gazed at your soft pink lips. He sighed deeply and plants the lightest of kisses on your forehead. He returns to his desk and flops down into his seat with a sigh and lies back gazing out of the window resting his cheek on his gloved hand.

"Idiot…" he moaned.

"You've changed everything."


	8. The Courtyard

The pale sunlight of daybreak pierced through the curtains of Levi's office. You stirred as the light crossed your eyes, forcing you awake. You rubbed the sleep from your eyes and had a stretch. Your back cracked loudly.

"Oof…" you winced.

"What did they pack that sofa with? Rocks?" you moaned.

You rose to your feet and walked across the carpet to the window. You flung back the curtains and flooded the room with light.

"Looks like it's going to be a pretty nice day." You smiled to yourself.

"Levi do you want some breakfast?" you called.

"Levi?..."

You turn to the desk where the two of you had been working yesterday. Your Captain had stayed up throughout the night getting the last of the work done. His head was resting on a sheet of parchment, a quill still in his hand, fast asleep. You never noticed it before but Levi was actually quite handsome with that sweet relaxed expression on his face. You blushed as a little fantasy played out through your imagination of him waking up and smiling at you.

"Haha. There's no way Levi would ever smile like that. I'll bet this is the reason why he looks so tired all the time." You thought.

You walked back to the sofa and collected the cloak Levi had covered you with last night and draped it over his shoulders as he slept. Then suddenly you had an idea.

"I bet he'd like something to eat when he wakes up. Oh! I know, I'll go and get us some breakfast from the cafeteria. We can have breakfast together. I bet he'd like that." You beamed.

You tiptoed out of the office and cheerfully trotted down the echoing corridor, down the stairs and made your way to the cafeteria. You grabbed a tray and got in line with the other early birds. They were only a handful of very sleepy headed soldiers who'd probably been working alongside their superiors too. You spent a good minute trying to decide what Levi would like most. Toast was a safe bet. Everybody likes toast. The thick crunchy kind, but what to have on it. Jam? Butter? Cheese? Then you recalled how Levi didn't take sugar in his tea. So perhaps sweets weren't his thing.

"Okay! I shall take four rounds of toast. Two butter and two strawberry jam, to go please."

Moments later you were carrying the tray back to the office. With your hands so full, you very carefully balanced the tray on you knee as you opening the door. You enter the room to see Levi was stirring. You place the tray on the trolley where you began heating up water for some fresh tea.

"Ah. And so the Captain awakens. Sleep well?" you smiled in his direction but paused and stared at him.

Levi raised himself slowly from the desk, holding his head like it was aching. His very image looked like that of a most unfortunate hangover. Dark circles under his very heavy eyes and pale peaky complexion. He groaned as he stretched himself out, cricked his neck and straightened his cravat.

"Only as well as an all nighter will allow." He groaned. He noticed your silent pause.

"What are you staring at?" he asked curtly.

First you were a little dumbstruck.

"Seriously. He's barely gotten a wink of sleep and he's STILL gorgeous." You thought to yourself feeling your face heating up. Upon closer inspection you noticed something a little different about your sleepy eyed Captain.

"Hehe, I think Captain needs to wash his face." you giggled.

Levi pulls a pocket mirror out from his desk draw and inspects his face. The ink from the parchment he'd been sleeping on had transferred on to his face. His entire cheek was covered in his own black inky handwriting.

"Not again." He muttered.

"For some reason it doesn't surprise me that you're used to waking up looking like that." You jested.

Levi frowns at you.

"In that case do something about it." He ordered.

"It's okay, I've got it." You pulled out a fresh white handkerchief from the breast pocket of your jacket and dampened it with the warm condensation from the teapot and stepped up towards him. You leant down to him and proceeded to gently wash away the ink from his face. His skin was still as soft as silk like you remembered from that time in the library. You enjoyed knowing Levi's attention was completely on you for this one moment. You felt yourself blush as you realized your faces were getting closer again. Levi quietly cupped your hand to his face with those familiar white gloves of his.

"Make sure you get it all." He said sternly with a look in his eyes to match.

"O-of course, Captain." You smiled nervously.

Once the last of the ink was washed away, you folded your handkerchief and left it at the corner of the desk while you prepared breakfast for the two of you. While your back was turned, you couldn't help but catch Levi in the corner of your eye. He very quickly swept up your handkerchief into his jacket pocket. Somewhat confused, you came to the conclusion that the sight of the stain was too much for him so he disposed of it. "Typical Captain Levi" you thought. You handed him his breakfast. His reaction to your choice of toast topping was clearly satisfactory as he ate the whole thing within five minutes. You were just glad he hadn't lost any appetite after such a sleepless night. After breakfast, came Levi's ritual of cleaning his office from top to bottom. Doorways were dusted, skirting boards were scrubbed and windows were washed. An hour later, the room was sparkling and tidy again.

"Phew! And that's that." You cheered as you dropped the sponge back into its bucket and tucked it away into the cleaning cupboard.

Levi opens the window to allow the room to breathe. He leans on the sill as the cool breeze fills the room. Out in the distance the faint sound of people and musical instruments being tested could be heard. It was coming from the courtyard below. You knew it was the preparations for the annual Spring Welcoming celebration. It was something of a holiday for the entire city, which was begun eons ago to inspire hope and new life in the people. It was an event that was highly anticipated; especially by the young men and women of town as dancing together with a partner of the opposite sex was considered to bring good fortune to those who partake. The more dancers, the greater the luck. You had attended every single year with your friends until now. It saddened you a little bit thinking that was a tradition you would break for the very first time in nearly a decade. Maybe missing out this year wouldn't be so bad. It wouldn't be the same without them anyway. A tiny little bubble of inspiration floated to the top of your head as your eyes rolled over to Levi standing by the window.

"I bet Levi isn't the dancing type." You thought to yourself.

"But…there's a first time for everything right? Worth a try at least." you grinned to yourself.

You dusted yourself off from cleaning and tiptoed closer to Levi, slowly bracing yourself for the breaking of the silence.

"H-Hey Captain? Do you…want to go out this afternoon?"

"Hmm?" he responded blankly.

"Well we have been hitting the books pretty hard this week and…I think we could do with a little fresh air."

Levi stood there thoughtfully for a moment.

"Well, I do need to talk with the Colonel about some business. He said he'd be busy with some preparations of some sort."

"So…we can go out?" you struggled to keep a straight face, eagerly awaiting his response.

"I guess."

You squealed for joy on the inside. But on the outside you kept your calm cool composure like it didn't matter that much to you.

"Excellent decision Captain. It'll do us both some good." You said stretching out your legs.

"Being stuck in this stuffy old office has made me restless. Time to blow out the cobwebs." You grinned, feeling carefree for the first time in weeks you had found a new source of energy.

"Better wash up before going out. It's the Commander we're meeting with so shine up those boots and tie that hair up." he ordered.

Your eyes lit up. You dived into the cleaning cupboard and grabbed a rag and boot polish. All the while Levi was continuing with his breakdown of the plan for the afternoon.

"The Commander said he'd be pretty occupied this week so-"

Levi turned to you. You were already standing by the door, boots gleaming, uniform spotless, bright eyed and bushy tailed. You gazed up at him with big shiny eyes.

"You don't waste any time do you?" Levi frowned.

You gaze at him with a pleading little smile on your face, eagerly awaiting his command. He sighs heavily with a hint of annoyance.

"I swear you're just like a puppy itching to be walked."

You whimpered with anticipation and cutely made a scratching sound on the door with your finger nail.

Finally, Levi tidies himself up and changes his jacket for his meeting with the Colonel. A walk down the corridor and a flight of stairs later you enter the courtyard to find it filled with soldiers busy socializing and chatting away.

"Wow. Looks like everybody turned up." You thought.

"They usually do if it means getting to goof around." Levi groaned impatiently.

A tall man with neatly combed blonde hair and icy blue eyes came into view. He appeared to be chatting away with some of the other officers. It was Commander Erwin Smith. Not only was he your superior, he was Levi's too. He spots the two of you and calls you to join in on the discussion. Levi turns to you.

"Wait here. I'm going to go talk with him. Hopefully this won't take too long. I won't bore you by dragging you in with me." He said.

"Oh! That's ok. Take your time. I'm sure I will find something to keep me occupied." You grinned.

You watched as Levi merged with the circle of chattering officers.

You don't envy him in the slightest. All those commanding officers ever talked about was work. You came here with the intention of having a little fun of your own.

The music you heard was coming from a band of soldiers playing away. One of them sat there playing slow melodic tunes on his Spanish guitar to warm up. A couple of the younger soldiers stood around admiring his skill. You overheard the first young man to playfully ask one of the girls to dance.

"Oh fair lady, would you grant this poor unworthy man the honor of this first dance?" he bowed.

"Sweet, gentle Sir. It would be my greatest pleasure to dance with you." The young lady playfully curtsied and grabbed his hand as they both ran to the centre of the courtyard.

It didn't take long for the rest to pair up. It was like that one invitation was a fever, spreading from one couple to the next. One became two. Two became four, four became eight. The melody broke out and filled the courtyard with grand loud joyful music. Two boys on their fiddles playing furiously skipped in and out between the dancers as if leading them like the Pied Piper; while two girls accompanied them on a pipe and a tambourine. A chain of boys and girls, arms linked were skipping and cheering in time to the band's music. You could feel something in your chest rising up. You felt it creep through your skin and into your muscles. You couldn't resist it anymore. A young female soldier reached out for you beaming. You grabbed her hand without a second thought and joined in the locomotion of happy smiling faces. Totally absorbed and carried away with the energy of the crowd you see Levi leaning with his back to the wall, arms folded with Erwin at his side talking away to him. You dance your way towards him and call out to him over the volume of the joyous rhythm of clapping of hands, stamping of feet and roaring laughter.

"DANCE WITH ME!" you shouted, grabbing him by the wrist as you both get swept into the flowing river of dancers. The atmosphere had consumed you like a fire blazing from within as if the music itself had set your heart on fire. Everybody around you was moving so fast it was as if they were dancing on hot coals. The line of dancers divided into couples. The boys with their hands round the girl's waists and lifting them into the air, spinning, twirling and giggling. You held on tight to Levi's hand and lead the dance between you. However he was reluctant, he felt out of place in such a positive noisy environment. He broke away from you.

"I—I don't belong here." He thought.

"Hey, what's the matter Captain?...Levi?..." you stopped and looked at him for a moment. His eyes were shadowed by his hair as he looked away from you. You sensed…disgust.

"…I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…I got a little over excited there, hehe." you smiled. Your heart sank seeing him so disinterested after getting your hopes up the way you did. You felt so lucky he had been so kind to you only last night. It was too much to expect anything more. You just felt so happy being with him that you wanted to share something that was special to you with him. You remembered the happiness and laughter you once felt with your friends and never would again. You look down at the ground, your eyes concealed by your hair.

"We should head back." You quietly kept smiling amidst the dancers as they continued to carousel around the two of you while their celebration went on without you.


	9. The Dark

Both you and the Captain walked back in a painful silence. You escorted him as far as his office door before leaving him there.

"I better head back to my dorm. I have some things I need to take care of if that's alright." You said nervously.

"That's fine." Levi replied. His words seemed colder now than they sounded last night.

"We are all up to speed on the completion of tasks for now. Anything else can wait till tomorrow."

"That's just great isn't it? A whole evening off for a change. I am SO relieved. Guess it'll give me a chance to catch up on my reading." you forcefully grinned. An awkward little silence fell between you. Just as Levi opened his mouth the say something, you turned away.

"Goodnight Captain." you uttered and walked away quickly. Once you were around the corner your stride broke into a run. You just wanted to get back to the quiet solemnity of your dorm. You finally reach your door and hurry to get inside, locking it behind you. You walked slowly over to the bed and collapsed in a heap on to the cold cotton blankets. You curl up into a ball clutching your pillow. It was cool and relieving against your hot face.

"Idiot."

You realised that working with Levi could have been the biggest mistake you ever made. There you were lying on your bed. Bored and alone and no one to confide in about these emotions you felt burning away inside of you when we were alone with him today. And that look he gave you at the dance. That cold distance he put between the two of you. You realised you had come to rely upon him too much. The last couple of weeks you had been working together constantly, rarely leaving each other's side. And now without him here, you had no idea what to do with yourself.

"Please…I don't want to feel these feelings anymore. It's…it's too soon after losing so many so dear to me. Levi's the only comfort I have…but this warmth inside when we're alone together…is it love? Or…loneliness?" You tightened your hold round the comfort of your pillow.

"Look at yourself. You look like a whimpering child who just lost at a game. I shouldn't sulk. The Captain has done so much for me already. It's wrong to expect more of him. And even if I did, what would I ask of him? I don't even know what these feelings of mine are. I want him to accept me as I am. That's all. But…what the hell did it mean when he kissed me before in the library? Was it an accident? Was it curiosity? Remembering that day drives me crazy...Why are you so cruel to me? Putting these thoughts and ideas into my head when you probably don't even feel for me at all. You're doing what you think is right, keeping an eye on your subordinate. You're already married to the military afterall."

"I need you". The three little words echoed quietly to you in the back of your thoughts. Despite being all alone in the room, your face begins to burn as you recite the phrase again and again in your mind.

"Is that it? Is that all I really want to say to you? If I do, then…would you finally give me peace? What is the worst he can do to me? Love me?...Reject me?" The sound of the word "reject" rebounded off the walls of your mind and sent a sensation of emptiness down into your stomach.

"I need to distance myself from this." You thought.

"I can't let emotions blind me to the reality of the situation. He is my team leader and I am a soldier operating under him, taking his orders without question. Those are the roles we play. I…I can't fall…the way…Luke did." You buried your tearful murmurs into your pillow as images of Luke and Tia float to the top of your memory.

"I'm sorry Luke…I love you like a brother…but…I can't make the same mistakes you did."

You lay there in silence for what felt like hours. Lost in your melancholy, the afternoon sunshine began to fade from your room and made way for the chilly nightfall's starlight outside. The faint sounds of cheering, laughter and music were continuing on without you. You decided to light the lantern at your bedside in the hopes of reading one of your books. But then came the sound of footsteps in the corridor outside gradually becoming louder and louder. The sound came to stop nearby. You look over your shoulder to the door. A shadow was cast across the floor from under the door. You paused and waited to see what the shadow would do. It stopped dead for a few moments. A faint rustling sound was placed down on the floor and the shadow walked away back the way it had come from. You waited for the footsteps to fade away before getting up and poking your head out the door to satisfy your curiosity. You look down to see a brown paper parcel with a greyish white envelope secured to it with string. Upon closer inspection the package appeared to be addressed to you. You bring it inside and set it down on the bed. You weren't expecting any post…and only a handful of people knew this dorm was your current place of residence. You tug at the string and free the envelope. All that was written was your name and the dorm address. You cropped an eyebrow in questioning. Carefully you tear it open and unfold a sheet of parchment. All that was written was:

"Meet me in the Courtyard Garden at 11pm tonight. Please wear this."

You reach for the parcel and unwrap it. You paused for a moment as you marveled upon the beautiful royal blue shall you now held in your hands. You raised it to your face. It was softer than anything you'd ever felt before, the fabric shimmered gently in the dim candle light of your room, and it carried a sweet floral scent. Never in your life had you received anything quite so refined. You felt humbled just holding it in your hands. As you pull it free from the paper something tumbles out onto your lap. It was a small silver pin in the shape of single bird's wing. You instantly fell in love as it gleamed prettily in the dim light. But wait. Who sent this? An admirer? Maybe someone saw you at the courtyard today and decided to make a move. Or perhaps this is someone's idea of a joke. Either way, if you wanted to find out, you would have to go to the courtyard that evening. The real question was what you would do when you met this person. What if they want to confess their feelings to you? Would you say yes and ultimately enter into a relationship with this person…or would you say no because of your own confused feelings towards Captain Levi? On the other hand, it could be one of your scouting team acquaintances who might be looking to get to know you better. It wasn't an impossible theory. You had developed quite the reputation within the ranks being the sole survivor of what had become known one of the most tragic missions to date. You had earned the recognition of both new recruits and senior officers, so would it be so hard to believe that your name was so well known? All the options considered you decided to accept the invitation. However seeing how the festivities of the Spring Celebration had officially started you decided to dress accordingly. You folded your uniform away and took out the only civilian clothing you had, a plain white ankle length cotton dress, over which you wore a fitted dress coat of your favorite colour. Simple, practical and yet eye catching. The beautiful new shall complimented your look perfectly as you draped it around your shoulders and used the silver pin to hold it in place. You gave your hair a quick brush and tied it up into your favorite style. You sigh deeply and brace yourself for the upcoming introductions you would be making only a few minutes from now in the Courtyard Garden outside.


	10. The Courtyard Garden

**The Courtyard Garden**

The time was quarter to eleven and you had just left your dorm to head back down to the courtyard where you had only been a few hours ago. Only this time you were dressed for the occasion if only for an hour or two you got to be a normal civilian girl again, like in the days before you joined the military. You hadn't worn a dress out in public for so long it felt a little bit strange and feeling a touch out of your comfort zone. Stepping out into the brisk evening air of the courtyard was like stepping out into a strange new world that looked nothing like it did in the daylight. The sky was dark, and the courtyard was brilliantly lit with warm glowing street lamps, which were adorned with pretty floral decorations and banners. Most of the soldiers had changed out of uniform like you had. It was one of the few rare occasions where you could all be yourselves for a few hours. You walked on through the courtyard's light and passed the waltzing couples as they smiled and laughed together and the men sitting around the tables drinking and singing songs, quite clearly love-drunk. As you entered the garden at the end of the courtyard the sounds of softly playing violins followed you from a distance. Fortunately there were only a couple of people there resting a while from the dancing in the quietest part of the courtyard. Couples that were keeping to themselves whispering sweet nothings to each other and giggling between themselves. The garden itself more like a large flat patio, lined with wooden sitting benches which had pretty hand carved floral decorations cut into them and pretty Romanesque pottery in which beautiful white flowers had exploded into bloom. The location was quite lonesome and empty and was cast in long dark shadows by the handful of lanterns that encircled it. The cold evening air didn't bother you too much thanks to the shall you received.

You took a look around as you stood at the entrance. There was hardly anyone there. You looked across to the clock tower. You arrived bang on eleven o'clock. You took a walk around and absorbed the scenery around you. The scent of white iris flowers was quite intoxicating. You kneel down and pick one from the display. Its petals were soft and velvety; its scent was so subtle and sweet. You sensed the presence of another person enter the garden as you heard the sound of footsteps approach you. They stopped some feet behind you.

"Excuse me but are you (Your Full Name)?" came a deep familiar voice. Your heart stopped when you suddenly realised who it was. You stand and turn to face him.

"Commander Erwin"

You stood there for a moment in slight disbelief. There he stood dressed simply in a dark blazer and trousers. His shirt collar was casually unbuttoned, his emerald green pendant hung round his neck and his pale golden hair still immaculately swept to the side. The music starting up again in the distance, as the commander simply bowed and extended his hand to you.

"May I have this dance?"

Could the Commander be the one who invited you here? Thinking it rude to refuse your superior you take his hand and the waltz began. The floor was aglow with lantern light and as you danced your shadows danced across the floor beside you. The Commander maintained a cool calm composure as he led you around the floor.

"Your good at this." he smiled gently.

"I attend this celebration every year Commander."

"Have you only just arrived?" he asked.

"I had thought about missing the party this year Sir. Every year my friends and I would come together. However this year...they...they weren't able to make it." You replied quietly. You both fall silent.

"You're the one who everyone refers to as "The woman who survived."

"…Apparently so Sir."

"As you know, it takes bravery to make a true soldier. But it takes more than that...to overcome the prices we have to pay."

You fell silent and slow to a stop. You didn't feel like dancing anymore.

"Commander, I am aware of what you are saying. But...with all due respect..."

"My apologies." The Commander raises your hand to his lips.

"I merely wished to take this opportunity to tell you just how remarkable you are. You are a priceless asset to the Recon Corp. There's…something… about you. You are a soldier and thus have seen about the worst you can out in the frontlines...and yet...I've seen you smiling so brightly so soon after such an ordeal. Your compassion towards others and your steadfast determination are what have kept you alive for so long. It would seem that your tales have inspired both the new recruits and senior officers. It's understandable why Levi chose you."

"Wait. What? ...Levi chose me?" you were surprised by the Commander's choice of words.

"He requested to work with you specifically. It must've been shortly after that last mission when you were still hospitalized. He came to speak to me about wanting to work with you the second you were discharged."

You fell silent with a look of shock on your face. The Captain you had held in such high regard...he wasn't working with you because he was ordered to do so. He had chosen you for himself.

"Are you trying to bore my assistant into submission Erwin?" came another familiar voice from the entrance way. You turned to see it was your Captain.

Levi had swapped his military uniform for sharp black attire, a white shirt tied up at the collar with a fresh clean cravat and shining black riding boots. He stood there slipping into a pair of fine black leather gloves. A long black coat hugged his form like it was tailor made.

"Charming in the company of women as always Levi." Erwin retorted.

You smiled nervously at Erwin's comment as Levi stared daggers at Erwin. His hands still holding onto yours.

"I have other business to attend to. Enjoy the rest of your evening." The tall dashing blonde bowed his head and smiled at you. As he kisses the back of your hand he conceals his smile as it turns to a look of seriousness as he whispered:

"If Levi gives you any trouble I want you to come to me."

"Erm…Ah...Yes, Sir." you stuttered a little pink in the face.

Levi keeps his piercing eyes fixed on Erwin as he walks way, leaving the two of you alone.

"Hmph! Wasn't expecting that. He sure likes to pick his moments." Levi muttered.

You turned to Levi standing in the entrance.

"So…did you change your mind about the party then Captain?" You looked down towards the ground feeling awkward.

"I had some time to kill." He glanced at you expressionless as usual.

You didn't understand why Levi was there. It was obvious that he wasn't in the festive mood earlier. Could it be he had already accepted an invitation from someone he liked and didn't want to be seen with you?

"You know, your date's probably wondering where you are. You shouldn't keep them waiting." you smiled.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked.

"...Well...why else would you be here? You didn't seem too impressed when we came here earlier."

Levi sighed deeply and turned away. He rested a hand on the wall. You sensed Levi was going to come out and tell you something. You braced yourself for whatever reason Levi had to explain his actions earlier.

"All that noise…and all those people…stuff like that just makes me feel uncomfortable." he frowned.

You paused for a moment and thought about what he said. Then you realised what he meant if not somewhat relieved to hear that he didn't come here for someone else. You knew Levi wasn't like most people. He was a little bit different. You had noticed this during your time working with him that he didn't seem to mind being on his own very much, but his mood always seemed to lightened up a little when he was surrounded by his handful of team mates. He came across as being difficult to converse with, even towards his team but it was his odd little way of showing he cared. If someone had a problem with the way he did things he didn't give a damn. He didn't particularly care if he was popular or not. The only thing that mattered to him was what was best for his team. And his team knew this and respected him greatly for it. You smiled in his direction.

"It's better to be around a select few that you trust, rather than be surrounded by lots of people who know your name but don't really care about you...the way you care about your team. And the way they...care about you." you blush a little at your own words as they were spoken directly from your heart.

Upon hearing your words, Levi turns to you and approaches you. A tiny glimmer upon his cravat catches your eye. It was a tiny royal blue pin in the shape of a bird's wing. You subconsciously touch the silver pin upon your breast.

"That colour suits you perfectly." he said as he scanned you up and down. He leans forward and gently admires you in your new garment with his fingertips. Those leather gloves of his were cold against your skin and sent a chill through you. You smiled at him and proceeded to slip the stem of the white iris you picked earlier into the button hole of his coat.

"Thank you…Levi. I love it." You whispered.

His cheeks flared red and he commenced to straighten himself up. He cleared his throat retaining his stoic expression. He bowed his head and reached his hand out to you.

"Dance with me?"

You give him a coy little smile and curtsied.

"Yes my Captain."

You step forward and take Levi by the hand. The wind carried the soft sweet melody of violins being played to the garden as Levi took your hand in his and wrapped his arm around the small of your back. You held the skirt of your dress away from your legs as the two of your began to sway in time to the music like ocean waves rolling onto the sand. Your heart began to flutter with your Captain's gaze upon you and you felt your cheeks glowing. The two of you were so perfectly in sync it was like you had always danced together like that. The warm glow of the lantern light lit your path as you both waltzed your way around the garden. The shadows you cast upon your surroundings were playing and chasing around your feet with every elegant step taken. As the music began to rise, so did your heart. You felt like it was going to jump out of your chest and soar through the sky above and dance amongst the stars. Your feet had a mind of their own and Levi's pace intensified with the sudden surge of rhythm. He gripped your hand firmly in his and the pressure of his arm around your waist sent chills of excitement through you. You enjoyed being under the force he had placed you under as the two of you swept through the cloud of the iris' scent. Levi held you in his gaze the entire time. With those dark grey eyes that burned with the heat of a summer storm in the frozen wintery air. That gaze that was once again melting away at your icy defenses and exposing your true emotions in the form of a gentle love-drunk smile. Seeing him there, right in front of you, waltzing on into the night, you wished that this moment would never end. That warmth in his eyes made him look twice as handsome. You finally found that Captain who stole your heart that day in the library. That Captain who left your feelings so desperately confused and unrequited. That Captain you had come to love in a way you never even dreamed you would. His sweetness in those few private moments alone had won you. You swore to the stars blazing in the dark blue abyss high above you, that this man holding you in his arms right now was the man you'd die for. No, the man you'd live for.


End file.
